Maple High School Academy Year 1
The Dragon in Gingko Forest - We Are Bonded, After All!

We Are Bonded, After All!

“KAMU ... LOVE TO hug me, huh?” ask Thann. The man wanted to mock Shal as usual, but somehow his tone sounded awkward.

The girl flinched and immediately let go of her embrace. How long has she been hugging Thann?

“Sorry. I ... I can't think so happy.” Shal said that while scratching his neck slowly. Suddenly he looked at Thann inside and said, “You may die at anyone's hands, but not at my hands or in front of my eyes! It was so traumatizing!”

Thann blinked his eyes like confusion. Shal continued his words, “So your body had no response after eating the moss of Porsisa. However, it turns out your body is like experiencing a reset process. I don't know if that's how it works in the body. However, obviously, you survived!”

Shal touches Thann's hand and attempts to venture into Thann's body again.

“I also did not find any more energy vortex inside your body.”

“Energy roundup?” Thann pulled his hand so that their physical contact was released.

“Yes, when you get hurt, I try to look inside your body.” Shal misbehaved himself after saying that sentence. “I mean, inwardly. I don't know, I can't explain it either. Anyway, I didn't take off your shirt and—” Shal couldn't continue the sentence. “Intinya, I found a vortex inside your body that continues to absorb energy slowly. However, now that vortex is no more.”

Thann seemed to think. He then reached out his hand about to touch Shal's cheek. “Really?” tanyakanya.

Shal could only be glued to his spot seeing Thann's reaction. Suddenly a stocky hand blocked the hand from touching Shal. Thann was surprised and immediately lowered his hand. Malachite looked at Thann deeply.

I don't know, Shal. I don't like this guy.

Mala said with a wit.

“Ah, this cave lizard is fast once mature.”

Shal ignored Thann's words. He asked Malachite through the inner while examining the wound on Thann's leg.

Do you think we should leave this place?

Shal tried to look ordinary, even though his heart was pounding. I don't know what that was because of! The wound on Thann's leg continued to bleed. Maybe the wound was open again because Thann was rolling on the cave floor. It was very risky if he had to walk away with such injuries.

We have to go to the riverbank, Shal. There's an agreed point to meet your team, if they receive a message from the pingai. I'll try to find another way to avoid the bad guy.

Shal thought for a while, then spoke to Thann, “Your wounds are still recovering, but we have to go to the riverbank. The porpoise helps us to find the moss-taking team and asks the academy teacher to meet and help us by the river. Come, I'll help you get on Malachite.”'s back

 “If there is something you really want, just tell me.”  Thann spoke to Shalima when they had crossed the forest for about 20 minutes. Thann lay on Malachite's back, while Shal walked beside him. They walked slowly so that Thann's body was not too shaken over Malachite's back. According to the big lizard, soon they arrived at their destination.

“I will try to give it in return for helping me today,” continued Thann with his haughty style.

Shal exhaled his breath in annoyance.

It would be better if the expression of gratitude is manifested in the form of deeds. By not demeaning me anymore, for example?

Shal spoke inwardly and could hear Malachite chuckling in his heart.

“Not necessary. We should've helped each other,” Shal replied.

They continued their journey in silence.

“If you may know, why can you get such a strange disease?” ask Shal.

Netra Thann glared towards the lush foliage of the tree. Maybe he remembered memories from the past. Shal felt guilty asking such personal questions. However, he was indeed curious about health-related matters.

“When the Golden Asteroid releases cosmic energy, it's not just you who have extraordinary talent. I have it too.” Thann finally answered.

“Oh, yes?” Shal was shocked. He just found out about this. What is Thann's talent? Genius? Sharp-mouthed? Mocking at the right time?

“Yes. Absorbing energy,” reply Thann short. Shal nodded his head and they returned in silence.

Shalima. It can benefit many people.

“When I tried to train my skills, I accidentally absorbed a huge amount of energy and could not control. That energy was instead attacking me and causing damage and instability to the energy within me. That's why under certain conditions I need energy. I always carry energy pills wherever I go, it seems that they are washed away in the river. In an emergency, I had to absorb energy from another being whose energy was no greater than mine. I'm sorry that today you have to witness such a terrible sight.”

Shal could feel the innuendo in the last sentence. Thann has returned to being the old Thann, the Mocker and Scorn. Shal tried to take the positive side, which is that Thann has recovered.

Suddenly something grabbed Shal violently and stuck something on his neck.

The dagger!

There's a dagger around his neck! Shal as much as possible did not move. He could feel the dagger just above his carotid artery. Shal never knew what would happen if his carotid artery was cut off. Will the artery ever connect again or will it die? Accidentally, Shal looked at the wrist of the person holding the dagger. There's a black sun tattoo there.

“Shal!” Thann and Malachite were both surprised because suddenly Shal had moved. Even more surprised when there are people who intend to harm the girl.

“Give moss Portessa!” the man's orders to Shal.

Shal remembers there were still some leftover Porsesa moss in his ivory tube. Of course he didn't want to give it to the bad guy.

“Or did you choose me slashing your neck slowly?” ask the person while pressing deeper into the dagger on Shal's neck.

Shal picked up the ivory tube behind his shirt. However, he had absolutely no intention of giving it away. He was not going to win against the man, so he had to attack his weak point.

When the criminal looked off guard, Shal decided to smash his elbow into the heart of the criminal. The man seemed to have trouble breathing and Shal immediately used him to run towards Malachite. Although his face was covered in a mask, Shal recognized the figure as one of the Zoologists present at the time of moss extraction. He's the intruder!

“Damn it!”

The criminal is still trying to fight. He still had trouble moving, but was able to throw smoke bombs at Shal. Malachite immediately moved and brushed off the bomb with his hand. Thann slammed onto the ground due to that sudden movement. The smoke bomb was thrown and fell in the other direction.

Now, the fake Zoologist begins to look desperate. He finally decided to throw his dagger towards Shal.

Shal!

Malachite tried to warn Shal. Snarling furiously, Malachite stuck out his long tongue towards the fake Zoologist. He tried to prevent the man from throwing a dagger at Shal. Thankfully, Malachite's tongue hit the Zoologist's hand until the dagger in his hand fell off. The man shouted as he felt a strangeness on his body. In an instant, the man had already turned stiff.

Shal was surprised, especially Malachite. The male lizard did not expect the protrusion of his tongue could have such an effect. The man may be dead and Malachite cannot accept himself killing people. Shal could see Malachite's body shrinking and turning into a cave lizard like before.

“Mala, relax ...” Shal tried to calm the lizard because he felt a great fear from Malachite. However, Malachite did not heed Shal's words. He ran towards the trees in fear and panic. Shal was unable to catch up because his running was very fast.

“Master!” suddenly two men emerged from the trees and immediately approached Thann.

“You are so useless!” Thann stared intently at the two men, who appeared to be his bodyguards.

“Sorry, Sir. We lost track.” A guard spoke with his head down.

“Can you take Thann away from this forest? He needs advanced help.” Shal spoke to the two men.

“We have asked for help from Mr. Forta.” One of Thann's bodyguards replied.

“Stupid!” thann said annoyed.

“Sorry, Sir. We've been looking for the Master to the far side of the forest, but we can't find the Master. Finally, we contacted Mr. Forta,” reply Thann guards. Another guard added, “Help is already on the way. To be quick, we'd better take Mr. Thann out of this forest.”

The bodyguard then carried Thann and carried the boy flying on a flyboard. Shal and Thann kept looking until Thann disappeared behind the Gingko Forest trees. They just stared at each other, without even uttering a word. Meanwhile, Thann's other bodyguards try to bring in a fake Zoologist who is either alive or dead.

“This person has already made a mess in Gingko Forest. I'll hand it over to Mr. Forta. Teacher Miss is already on her way here. Soon she might be up.” After saying that, Thann's bodyguard flew in with a flyboard while carrying a fake Zoologist.

Shal was alone in the woods. Shal tried to summon Malachite with his mind, but there was no reply. Poor those poor lizards. Today was a tough day for him too. He binds the mind with Shal, helps him, rises on the dragon's back, mutates, and makes people stiff. Shal can understand Malachite's feelings and panic. Despite trying hard, he himself still felt shaken by what happened all day. A lot of terrible things happened in less than 24 hours. The worst was seeing Thann not breathing anymore after being dealt with by him. Killing someone, that's terrible.

“Shalima!” the voice of the Prof called out to him. Shal looked up and saw The Prof hovering a few inches off the ground. The Prof clenched his robe and descended to the ground, followed by the rest of the team from behind the trees. Shalima immediately ran over and hugged The Prof. Her tears broke and she felt very tired.